Anytime
by ThisLadyWrites
Summary: Sometimes - after a particularly terrible case - Sharon spends the night at Andy's place. Shandy
1. Chapter 1

**Hi people! Happy 2015! (I can still say that, right?)**

**This fic is probably going to have 4 to 6 chapters. The first two chapters are kinda short, the other ones will be longer and more detailed. This story is not beta read, all mistakes are mine.**

* * *

It started 9 months ago, after they arrested the murderer of a five-year-old girl.

Neither of them had slept in 20 hours and – despite being worn out – they doubted that sleep would come easily.

Sharon was driving him home. He had wrecked his car while chasing the murderer – that disgusting son of a bitch – through the city. Andy actually wanted to take a cab but Sharon insisted on driving him. It was less out of kindness or amicability but more out of selfishness: She didn't want to be alone just yet. Rusty was spending the night at a friend's house and she really wasn't looking forward to be at her apartment all on her own. She usually didn't mind, today however she did.

Cases that involved children were always hard and as much as she tried not to get emotionally engaged, in the end she usually failed at keeping a distance. And this time hadn't been any different. She had still been objective enough to be able to properly work on the case but she had been unable of not thinking about her own children and all kinds of "what if" scenarios.

As a mother she knew how intense the love was you felt for your children. It was unconditional and eternal. You would rather feel pain than see your children in pain. You would rather die than see your children die. Losing a child destroys you. It is the worst thing that could happen to anyone. Even thinking about it made Sharon cry. She would go mental if anything ever happened to Emily, Ricky or Rusty. They were her precious little babies and she would break all the rules and laws in the world to make sure they were save.

* * *

It took them twenty minutes to get to Andy's apartment. They hadn't talked during the ride. They had been comfortable with the silence. They had needed it. To think and to mourn.

Andy got out of the car and Sharon was just about to drive off when he opened the passenger car door again. She looked at him confused and he asked if she wanted to come upstairs for a while.

Sharon gave him a tired smile and nodded.

He didn't want to be alone either.

* * *

She followed him into his flat. It was the first time she was there and she was surprised how clean it was and how much she liked the furniture. It was simple but classy and very manly.

He made her tea and suddenly she heard herself asking if she could spend the night. She was surprised about her own question and for a moment she wished she could take it back. But when he said yes without hesitating, it felt like a heavy weight was lifted off her shoulders.

Andy gave her one of his t-shirts to sleep in and showed her to the guest room.

Before Sharon closed the door behind her, she turned around, put a hand on his arm and whispered: "Thank you."

He nodded and smiled "Anytime."

* * *

**Thanks for reading. Would love some feedback. The 2nd chapter follows soon. If you want it?**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey people!**

**Thanks for reading the first chapter. Hugs to everyone who left feedback. Nothing spurs me on like reviews :)**

**Here's the second chapter. **

**Enjoy!**

* * *

The second time she spent the night at his place was after they arrested the killer of a heavily pregnant woman. The murderer turned out to be her estranged husband – like Provenza had suspected all along. The bastard had shot her. Three times: In the head, in the chest and in the stomach. That sick monster had made sure that the baby was dead too. And then he had called the ambulance and ran away.

It took them 3 days to find him. When they did Andy was on the verge of losing his temper. If Provenza hadn't stopped him Andy would have hit the husband right in his stupid face. His (almost) violent outburst caused Sharon to take him off the case. They argued – like they hadn't argued in months – and afterwards Sharon told him to go home. So he left her office and slammed the door shut behind him.

* * *

She wasn't sure whether he wanted to see her or not but she decided to drop by his place anyway.

She was surprised to find that he had already been expecting her.

"Come in." He said and went into the living room.

She closed the door behind her and followed him. "He agreed on the deal."

"I know. Provenza just called." Andy dropped down on his couch. "That dirt bag didn't deserve this deal."

"Most murderers don't." She sat down next to him.

Silence.

"Are we ok?" Andy asked.

She nodded. "We are."

"So no anger management class?"

"No. But if it happens again I'll personally drive you there."

"Alright. That's a deal." He smiled and asked: "You hungry?"

She shook her head. "Just tired."

"The guest room is yours…" Andy said. "… that is... if you want to stay."

"Actually… I do." Sharon admitted. It felt good to be around him. He understood how she was feeling and what she was going through after working on such a terrible case. Being with him was soothing, it calmed her down, it made breathing easier.

* * *

Half an hour later they were still sitting on his couch. Andy had switched on the TV and got her a blanket. Then he had made her some tea. Sharon couldn't tell if he did it out of bad conscience because of his behavior at work or because he genuinely wanted to comfort her. Maybe it was a mix of both. But right now she didn't really care. She just enjoyed being taken care of. In fact, she enjoyed it so much that she even managed to block out the little voice in her brain that was trying to tell her over and over again how stupid it was to stay here for another night.

* * *

Andy had his legs propped up on the coffee table. His eyes were glued to the television. Not because he was so damn interested in the film, it was because he could see her reflection every time the screen went dark. He could see her wrapped up in his blanket, her fingers curled around the mug of tea, her hair tousled. She looked beautiful. Far too beautiful.

"I think I'll got to bed", Sharon said in a sleepy voice. She actually had wanted to go to sleep already an hour ago but she had felt so comfortable just sitting there, next to him, that she hadn't able to motivate herself to get up from the couch.

"I'll get you something to wear."

He disappeared in his bedroom and returned only moments later with his Dodgers t-shirt. The one she had worn the last time she had stayed here.

"I hope that's alright." He handed it to her.

She took it. "Thank you."

"Anytime." He smiled and pointed at the door to his room. "Knock if you need anything. Doesn't matter when."

Sharon returned his smile. And without really thinking about it she got up on her tiptoes and put her arms around him. It took Andy a few moments to get over the surprise before his arms found their way around her middle and hugged her back.

He could feel her sigh into the crock of his neck and he wondered what it would feel like to fall asleep like this. With her in his arms, with her steady breath against his skin and her hair tickling his cheek.

For a moment he thought about burying his nose in her hair but decided against it. He didn't want to scare her off by crossing any lines. Instead he started drawing circles on lower back with the thumb of his right hand. It made her tense up and he almost panicked but after only a few seconds he could feel her relax. The caress apparently had surprised her as much as the hug had surprised him.

A minute passed by. Then another one. Andy's thumb was still stroking her back, while her cheek was pressed to his chest. They should have stopped hugging minutes ago. But neither of them had wanted to. It had felt too good to let go. But eventually they would have to. So Sharon broke the embrace and took a step back. There was a smile on her lips. One that Andy had never seen before so far. It was somewhat shy and sheepish.

"Good night." Her voice was a whisper.

"Sleep well." He said before she disappeared in his guest room.

For a few moments Andy just kept standing there - in front of the door she had just closed behind her. Then he turned around and vanished in his room as well.

* * *

**Thank you for reading my dear fellow shandy shippers :) **

**The 3rd chapter will be more than twice as long as this one. **

**Cheers!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey people!**

**Sorry that it took me this long to finish chapter 3. I was sick and all I did was blowing my nose, coughing and sleeping. And then I had to freak out because of the season finale and the shoulder squeeze-hand holding scene. OMG! How cute are those two people?!**

**I kinda wish we had got more insight into Sharon's feelings and thoughts. Eg: A scene with just Sharon in her office in that we see how damn scared she is for her boy. It was obvious that she was scared and we got scenes in that it was visible but still... I think a scene with just her and her feelings would have been nice... And I kinda would have liked a scene with Sharon and Rusty at home, with no1 else around. And another scene with Andy would have been great too. But I'm being beyond greedy here. I'm actually thankful for what we got. And I am totally mind blown by how good all the actors were. Mary seriously needs to get some awards, that woman kills it in every epi! Ok... I'm gonna shut up now... actually no... one more thing: I'm high on coughing meds and have been since days, please keep that in mind while you read this xD**

**I lied, I have another thing to say: THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL THE REVIEWS! YOU PEOPLE ARE AMAZING!**

**Now I'm done for realz. Read! ;)**

* * *

The third time she spent the night at his place was after a 16-year-old boy was found strangled on Hollywood Boulevard. They boy had lived on the streets and he had been forced to sell his body in order to survive. His story was Rusty's story, Rusty's past. And it made Sharon sick to think that this easily could have been him if her and his paths hadn't crossed two years ago.

Sykes and Provenza volunteered to go to the morgue to listen to what Dr Morales had to say about the murder but Sharon insisted on going herself. It didn't surprise anyone that Andy accompanied her. Everyone in the division knew that there was a special bond between their boss and Andy. A bond neither of them understood but all of them accepted and respected.

When Sharon saw the body of the dead boy her hand flew to her mouth. He had blond hair. They were just like Rusty's. She tried not to tear up, tried to keep a professional composure but she couldn't help it. It hit too close to home.

Andy watched her struggling with her emotions. He wanted to say something, something that would make her feel better but there was no such thing. A 16-year-old boy was dead. There was nothing he could say to make his death sound less tragic.

So he decided to do the only other thing he could come up with: He stepped closer and put his hand on her shoulder and gave it a firm, comforting squeeze.

"You don't have to do that to yourself." He whispered. His face close to her ear.

"I'm fine", she said, wiped away the tears that had escaped and turned to Morales. "What do you know so far, doctor?"

* * *

The killer turned out to be the CEO of some big ass company. Provenza and Julio did the interrogation. Sharon and Andy watched the confession on screen in the tech room. By the time the murderer started trying to justify himself Sharon was close to shaking with rage.

Andy was standing beside her, watching her and suppressing the urge to pull her in his arms. He had never seen her so visibly upset over a case. She had been upset about many cases – like everyone working in this profession – but this one hit exactly where it hurt her the most and it pained him that there was nothing he could do about it.

Once the interrogation was over she disappeared in her office. Andy followed her only a few moments later and found her sitting behind her desk. Tears were rolling down her cheeks but there was a smile on her face. He was confused.

Sharon held out her phone towards him. He stepped closer and took it.

"Rusty just texted." She explained.

Andy looked at the screen and saw a picture of Rusty and Chris making funny faces. The Golden Gate Bridge in the background.

Now Andy smiled too. "See? He is fine."

"I know… I miss him."

Rusty and Chris were spending a week in San Francisco at Chris' aunt's house. They had become friends again a few months ago. Rusty had forgiven Chris for telling Rios about the letters and he had told her that he was gay. Chris had just hugged him and asked if he wanted to go and watch a movie. Ever since then they were best friends. And Sharon couldn't be happier about it. Chris was a good girl, there was nothing she had to worry about when Rusty was with her.

Andy dropped down on one of the chairs in front of her desk. "When are they coming back?"

"In 3 days", she sighed.

"Are you going to tell the kid about the case?"

"Probably… I don't like to keep secrets from him."

Andy nodded. He agreed with her on that. Then he said: "Let's go home".

She didn't ask him if she could stay at his place and neither did he ask her if she wanted to. It was a non-verbal agreement. They just went to the parking garage. Together. She got in the passenger seat of his car and he drove them home. To his place.

* * *

It felt weird lying in his tub. It had something intimate, something that made her feel really close to him. You usually don't just soak in someone else's tub. It not might be so uncommon to take a shower at a friend's place but taking a bath is something entirely different. It made you feel homey and comfortable and it was weird that she was feeling like that about Andy's place. It was only the 3rd time she was here but it already felt so incredibly familiar, like a safe place, like a home. It was confusing.

* * *

Like the last time she had stayed at his place they ended up sitting on his couch watching TV.

Andy had made her tea and brought her a blanket. He was taking care of her again and she'd have to lie if she said that she didn't enjoy it. It felt good. And it made her feel so comfortable that she almost forgot about the horrible case. About the dead boy that easily could have been Rusty.

Sharon grabbed her phone from the coffee table and checked for the about 25th time if she had a text or a missed call from Rusty.

Consciously she knew that he was fine, that he was save but it didn't stop her from worrying. As a mother you always worry, especially when you were a detective who was confronted with murders every day.

When she looked up from her phone she saw Andy watching her with a concerned expression.

"I know he is alright", she said with a sigh. "But I still worry… I can't help it."

"It's the curse of us parents… We worry. Always. Doesn't matter how unjustified or irrational it is. It starts the moment we hold that little bundle – or in Rusty's case: that not so little bundle – in our arms for the first time and it never stops. "

Sharon looked at him and smiled. Right now – at this moment – she felt understood. More than she had felt in years… or ever. He got her.

She scooted closer to him and – without a warning – she leaned against his side and put her head on his shoulder. He was stiff with surprise. She found it adorable.

"Thank you, Andy."

"What for?"

"For letting me stay. For making tea. For cheering me up."

"It's nothing." He said and he believed it. He considered himself lucky to be the one she went to when she was feeling down. He enjoyed having her around. He felt like he should be the one to say "thank you".

"No. Don't say that." She looked up so they could see into each other's eyes. Their faces were so close that she could feel his breath on her face. "It's everything." She whispered, her facial expression sincere.

He smiled. She returned it. And she looked so beautiful in this moment that Andy decided that he needed to touch her cheek. He raised his hand, slowly. His fingers were almost touching her face, just half an inch to go… And then his phone went off and destroyed the moment. Andy was pissed and glad at the same time. If it wasn't for his stupid phone he probably would have ended up trying to kiss her. And as much as he wanted to feel her lips on his, it probably would have ended their friendship and that was the last thing he wanted.

He let his hand fall down again and moved it to the coffee table instead. He griped his phone. Sharon remained tucked to his side. He was surprised at that but didn't let it show. He was just glad he didn't scare her off by almost displaying the deep affection he had for her.

He looked at the screen of his phone and chuckled.

"What?" She asked.

"Rusty." He handed her the phone to read the text: _Can you please tell Sharon that I'm fine so she can stop texting me like every 5 minutes?"_

Sharon smiled. God she loved this kid.

"What are you texting back?" She asked when he started typing an answer.

He moved the phone out of her reach so she couldn't see what he was typing but eventually – after Sharon playfully hit his upper arm – he let her read his reply: _I'll try. But we both know that she can't just switch off her overprotective mother hen mode._

Sharon had to laugh and he was relieved. For a moment he had thought she might had taken his text the wrong way.

Still pressed to his side, she put her head on his shoulder again. "I'm so glad I have him."

"The kid is lucky to have you." Andy finally dared to properly put his arm around her. "You saved him and gave him a home, a family, a mother. You gave him a future."

"He is a good kid."

"He is." Andy agreed.

Sharon sighed and closed her eyes for a moment. Taking in the intoxicating smell of Andy's aftershave and absorbing the warmth of his body.

They probably shouldn't be doing this. They shouldn't be huddled together on his couch, in his apartment but right now neither of them seemed to care.

"Do you want more tea?" And here he was again: cute caring Andy.

"No, thank you. I'm good."

Silence.

Their gazes returned to the TV.

Their bodies however stayed where they were, their sides pressed against each other, her head on his shoulder and his arm around her.

* * *

When Andy woke up he could feel a massive pain in his neck. His head was uncomfortably tipped backwards, resting on the back of the couch.

He groaned as he moved his head. His hand was about to shoot up to his sore neck when he realized that both his hands were already occupied. That's also when his memories caught up with him and when he realized that he wasn't alone. Sharon was there. Huddled up to him. Her right arm squished behind his back, her left arm rested on his chest. Her hand right over his heart and over her hand there was his. His other arm was around her back, keeping her close.

The TV was still switched on and bathed the room in a soft light. He looked at the woman in his arms and couldn't help but smile. She was beautiful. Her hair was tousled; a few strands had fallen over her face. He gently tucked them behind her ear. His fingers caressing her cheek in the progress. Her skin was warm and soft. Softer than he had imagined.

His neck was still hurting and for a second he thought about moving but that would mean she'd probably wake up and he did not want that. She needed her sleep. Once she was up she'd start thinking about the case again and about Rusty and then she'd not be able to go back to sleep. Apart from that he really had no desire to let go of her. And if she woke up she'd probably jump out of his arms and run away.

Yes, it had been her who had started with the body contact. She had put her head on his shoulder and she had cuddled up to him. But this was different. Falling asleep huddled up together was much more intimate and than just sitting on the couch with their arms around each other. And he was afraid it would scare her off. So he decided to enjoy it as long as it lasted.

* * *

He woke up when he felt her stir. His neck was stiff, stiffer than before and the sharp light which was piercing through the curtains did not help to sooth the pain.

Andy moved his head and hissed.

Sharon immediately freed herself from his embrace and turned towards him. "Are you alright?" Her voice was still sleepy. He liked it.

"Yes... just a stiff neck." He said as his hand started rubbing the aching spot. "I'm apparently not in my twenties anymore. Who knew?"

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to fall asleep... like this."

"Not your fault."

"Do you have a heating pad?" Sharon asked as she got up from the couch.

"In the kitchen. Second drawer on the left."

She got the pad and warmed it up in the microwave.

"Thank you." He said as she put it on his neck. Their fingers briefly touched and Sharon immediately pulled her hand back.

"Your phone." Andy pointed at the vibrating cell on the coffee table.

"Oh..." She rushed to get it. It was Rusty. Assuring her that he was all right and telling her all about his trip to the Golden Gate Park.

Andy was watching her talking to her son. She was beaming, a smile on her lips. She never smiled like that when she talked to anyone else. This smile was only there when she talked to one of her children. He loved that smile.

Before Sharon ended the call she told Rusty that she loved him and that he should call whenever he needed her. Of course Rusty knew all of that already. But that never stopped a mother from saying it over and over again.

"What are the kids up to today?", Andy asked when she put away her phone.

"Visiting Alcatraz. He sounded excited." She dropped down next to him again. "Your neck any better?"

"Not really."

"Why didn't you wake me up?"

"You looked so peaceful. If I had woken you, you only would have started worrying again. You needed a break."

God, why did he have to be so damn charming?! Sharon turned to look at him. Her expression soft. She had the urge to hug him but they had had far too much body contact already.

However, she could not help herself but reach for his hand and give it a short squeeze before she released it again. "Thank you."

"Anytime."

* * *

**Thank you for reading :)**

**Don't expect chapter 4 to be posted this week. I got exams and stuff -.- But I promise you that I'll try to write it asap.  
**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hey people!**

**Sorry that it took me so long to finish this chapter. But I had exams and I needed to write essays and stuff ;)**

**I got holidays now so I hope I'll get some more writing done.**

**Thank you so much for reading chapter 3 and for leaving me feedback! :D I re-read the chapter again last night and I noticed that the writing as well as the plot feels a little forced. I apologize for that. I hope this isn't the case in chapter 4. ******I re-wrote this chapter several times for that reason. Now let's cross our fingers and hope that the re-writing was worth it ;)****

* * *

The forth time she spent the night at his place was after Andy shot Bray, a lunatic police killer.

Bray had killed an officer from robbery-homicide and two officers from the juvenile division. He had escaped every time, leaving nothing behind. No fingerprints, no weapon, no bullets. He had given the LAPD nothing to work with.

At some point pretty much every division had been looking for him, every single one of them unsuccessfully. It was like he had fallen off the face of earth and was just reappeared in order to kill.

But then – four days after the last murder – Bray made a serious mistake: He aimed his gun at someone who had an angry Andy Flynn watching their back.

* * *

Sharon stumbled to the ground as the bullet hit her.

Andy didn't hesitate a second. He shot back, planting two bullets in Bray's chest. The bastard fell down, his body motionless.

"Sharon!" Andy squatted down next to her. His heart racing, he was terrified. Terrified of discovering what this son of a bitch had done to her.

"It's just my arm", Sharon groaned in pain. Her left hand was pressed to her right upper arm where the bullet had hit her. Blood was everywhere.

"This son of a bitch!", Andy violently got rid of his tie and tied it around Sharon's arm, above the entry wound, to stop the bleeding.

"He's dead." Sharon said, her voice weak.

"I made sure of that. He can rot in hell!" Andy pulled out his phone and called an ambulance. Afterwards he phoned Provenza and told him to get the team's asses down here. They were only in the parking garage of the LAPD, they would be there in no time and hopefully so would the ambulance.

"They'll be here soon", Andy helped her get up from the ground and led her to his car. "How bad's the pain?"

"Worse than I thought it would be." She sat down in the back seat of his car.

"You'll get some painkillers in no time." He squatted down in front of her, taking her hand in his.

"FID is going to investigate you." She looked pale and tired.

"That doesn't matter right now."

"Promise me you'll cooperate with them."

"Sharon, you just got shot! Who the hell cares about FID right now?"

"They will clear you, I know they will… but BE nice."

"How can you still obsess over formalities and when you have a bullet in your arm!?"

"Promise me, Andy! I don't want you suspended over calling one of the FID officers an idiot." She hissed in pain as she accidently moved her arm.

"Yeah, yeah, I promise."

* * *

The ambulance arrived two minutes later and took Sharon to Cedars. Andy wanted to come along, he insisted to, but Sharon refused. He had to be interviewed by FID first. God, this woman was going to be the death of him.

* * *

FID cleared him. Of course they did. That son of a bitch had been firing his gun at Sharon. Not shooting him would have been the real mistake here.

Andy drove to the hospital as soon as the interview was over. Sharon had already texted to ask about FID and to inform him that she was fine. But she always claimed to be fine even when she was everything BUT fine. That's why he really needed to see her in person, to make sure she was all right indeed.

* * *

When he entered her hospital room he was greeted by the view of a frantic Rusty walking up and down in front of Sharon's bed.

"Everything alright in here?" Andy asked.

Sharon and Rusty answered at the same time. She a "yes". He a "no".

"She almost got killed and she acts like nothing happened." Rusty's voice was loud and angry.

"Ok, lets calm down for a minute." Andy said. "I know this was quite a scare, Rusty… But she is fine now."

"Yes! But don't you get it?! She could have died! If you hadn't reacted as fast… if you hadn't been there, she could have died!" Rusty shouted.

"Rusty…" Sharon wanted to say something but he turned around, facing her and cut her off: "You could have died, Sharon! I could have lost you! You are all I have! You are my… ", he stopped and lowered his eyes to the ground.

"Oh… fuck this!", he said after a few seconds and stormed out of the room.

Sharon sighed.

"Do you want me to go after him?", Andy asked.

"I'll go." She was about to get up but Andy stopped her.

"You should rest."

"I can't rest when my son is upset." She threw back the blanket she had been covered with and got up.

Andy didn't even try to protest. There was no point in arguing with mama bear.

* * *

Sharon found Rusty sitting on a chair in the waiting area. He still looked pretty upset.

She dropped down next to him.

"You should stay in bed", he said.

"Why did you run away then? You knew I'd come after you."

"I needed a minute."

"Better now?"

"Not really."

"I'm sorry, Rusty."

"What for?"

"That I scared you."

"It's not like you got shot on purpose."

"I know… but I still feel bad for upsetting you."

"That's stupid."

She shrugged. "It might be… but that's how I feel."

A short moment of silence.

"I'm sorry for shouting at you earlier."

"It's alright. You were upset."

"I still shouldn't have done it… But I was just so…"

"I know, honey." She put her good hand on his arm. "You don't need to explain it to me."

Rusty swallowed, hoping it would prevent him from tearing up. "I can't lose you, Sharon." He whispered. "Not ever."

"You won't, Rusty." Her hand touched his cheek turned his head so she could look in his eyes. "I'm not going anywhere, ok?"

He nodded.

* * *

Andy was standing a few feet away from them, watching them hug. He was beyond surprised by the progress Rusty had made. He had been an angry, broken boy when Sharon had taken him in. He had made her life harder, he had sorely tested her good nature and he had hurt her with his words more times than he can count. But she had cared for him anyway. She hadn't sent him away. She had been patient and she had made him feel welcomed and loved. And her love had made him flourish into the person he was now: A responsible, kind teenager who loved her to bits.

* * *

Andy took them both home with him. Sharon had discharged herself. She claimed that she could lie around and take painkillers at home as well, no need for her to stay at the hospital. Andy had protested but soon he had caved. However he had managed to convince her to stay at his place for the night… Well… there hadn't been that much convincing to do. She had agreed immediately.

They hadn't talked about whether Rusty would come along or not. It was a given. Of course he would come along. He was her son and he was upset. He was welcome in his home. Always. Just like his mother.

* * *

Even with Rusty there they did not break their ritual of dropping down on the couch and watching TV. Andy had made tea again and hot chocolate for Rusty. The kid usually drank coffee but he enjoyed a cocoa every now and then. It had something that made him feel homey. Especially when someone else prepared the beverage for him.

They watched some film Rusty chose. Neither Sharon nor Andy were particularly interested in the movie but both seemed to be content just sitting there, with their shoulders touching and their eyes occasionally meeting.

Sharon's arm was bandaged and put in a sling. Thanks to the vicodin the pain was manageable but she was already thinking about cutting back the dosage. The medication made her all drowsy and light headed and she did not like this feeling.

Sharon changed position and curled her legs beneath her. While doing that she forgot about her hurt arm and moved it a little. It hurt like hell. She hissed in pain.

Rusty and Andy both looked at her alarmed. Rusty's expression was pretty horrified. "Do you need more painkillers? Should we call a doctor?"

"No honey, it's fine." She assured him a few moments later, when the pain had weakened again. "I just accidently moved my arm." She squeezed his shoulder with her good hand. "I'm ok."

Rusty nodded, still not completely convinced but he turned his head back to the TV.

"You want me to get you more painkillers?", Andy asked.

"No, thank you. I'll take some before I got to sleep." She smiled.

It felt good to be taken care of.

* * *

Rusty was still watching TV when Sharon and Andy decided to call it a night. He gave her his Dodgers t-shirt again and offered to help her put it on but she somehow managed to do it on her own. How he didn't know.

Now they were standing in front of the guest room. Her hair was tousled and there was no trace of make-up on her face… and she looked so incredibly beautiful that Andy had a hard time not to tell her just HOW beautiful she looked.

"You think you'll be able to sleep?"

"I think so. The pain killers are doing a pretty good job."

"Good… You know you can wake me if you need anything… or if the pain gets worse, or if you just can't sleep?"

"I know." Her lips curled up into a smile.

"Good Night then." He returned the smile.

He was about to disappear in his room when she stopped him by calling his name.

"Andy."

"Yeah?" He turned back around to face her.

"I…" She stopped. She had no clue what so wanted to say.

He looked at her, waiting for her to say something.

She tried again. "I think I… " She stopped herself again. She only realized now what she had been about to ask and it was something she definitely should NOT ask.

But it was like he read her mind. He stepped towards her and offered her his hand.

She looked at it in shock. Was he…? Was he about to… ? Was he offering to…? He was, wasn't he? … Oh my god. He was.

She was still starring at his hand which was waiting to be taken by hers. She couldn't believe he was doing this. And she definitely couldn't believe that she was seriously considering it. She was actually trying very hard not to consider it. She was trying to just turn around and disappear into the guest room… but she couldn't. She just wanted to take his hand too badly.

So she took it. She put her hand in his and their finger entwined. His thumb started caressing the back of her hand as he led her into his dimmed bedroom.

The room smelled like him. Like his aftershave and there was another scent that she couldn't describe but that was definitely pleasant.

He got into bed first and drew back the blankets on the right side of the bed to indicate her to get in too.

Sharon was hesitant but eventually slipped under the covers.

Andy switched off the lights and scooted closer towards her. He put his hand over her stomach. "I'm glad you are ok", he whispered.

"Me too." Her hand covered his. "I wouldn't be if it wasn't for you."

She cleared her throat and swallowed the lump in her throat. "Thank you for saving my life, Andy."

"Anytime, Sharon."

She wiped away a tear that had escaped and turned so that she was lying on her left side with her damaged arm securely drawn to her stomach. She tugged on Andy's hand to tell him that she wanted him to come closer. So he moved closer, so close that he was pressed against her backside.

It was very intimate but in no way sexual.

"Good night." He whispered against her neck.

"Night." She said and fell asleep immediately.

Lying in his arms was better than all the painkillers in the world.

* * *

**Thanks for reading :D There'll be one OR two more chapters.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Thank you sooooo much for your wonderful feedback! I really appreciate it :D Thank you!**

**I apologize for being absent for quite a while but I had a really good reason that involves a certain play and a certain actress who blew me away with her outstanding performance in that certain play xD good god Mary is the most awesome human being to ever grace this planet.**

**Ok... enough fangirling... for now at least ;) **

**Before you start reading I want you to know that this chapter wouldn't exist without lontanissima's help. I was really stuck with this story and wrote myself into a corner and she helped me out of said corner. So thank you **** lontanissima!**

* * *

**Chapter 5**

He knew she was avoiding him and it made him angry. Not angry at her but at himself. He had crossed a line, he had blindsided her. He had basically done everything he had sworn himself he wouldn't do… But in that moment, when he had looked at her and she had smiled at him with her eyes still half closed, he hadn't been able to help himself. And that's when everything had gone to hell.

* * *

_When Sharon woke up she could feel him watching her. She didn't mind, quite the opposite actually. She was flattered. Despite the pain in her arm she smiled at him and that smile gave him the confidence to reach out to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. But instead of withdrawing his hand again afterwards, he started caressing her cheek. His fingers tenderly stroked her soft skin while his eyes were still admiring her beautiful face. He didn't know what possessed him when he suddenly replaced his fingers with his lips, placing soft kisses along her cheekbone. He just knew that this is what he had wanted to do for ages._

_The moment his lips had touched her skin a warm, fuzzy feeling had spread through Sharon's entire body. The rational part of her, however, had started screaming_ "_stop" in seven different languages. But stopping him turned out to be much harder than expected. Telling him to quit kissing her would require to actually TELL him but she was too busy humming contently which again urged him on to continue with his actions. It was a vicious circle._

_So – instead of stopping him – she turned her head to face him. And his lips slowly made their way to the side of her nose, then to the tip and finally to her philtrum._ _Her eyes fell closed as his mouth tenderly captured her upper lip. She buried her hand in his hair and moaned quietly when their lips finally met properly. It wasn't a wild, overly passionate kiss. It was gentle and cautious and oh so sweet. _

_But only moments_ _later Sharon pushed him away. She had twisted her hurt arm somehow and the pain had brought her back to reality. _

_They were both in shock, Andy probably even more so. What had he done? Had he completely misread her? After she had turned her head he had been convinced that she wanted it too. But now he thought he might only have hoped that she wanted it when she actually hadn't._

_Sharon started to get up from bed but he beat her to it. _

"_I'm sorry," he stammered. "I didn't mean to…" He stopped, not sure what to say. "I'll be in the kitchen." He decided leaving was the best thing to do. He had blindsided her, he needed to give her space now. She needed privacy._

_Andy griped his cell from the bedside table and left, closing the door behind him._

* * *

She was avoiding him and she knew that it was unfair. He had been nothing but wonderful to her and she had pushed him away and given him the feeling that he had done something to her that she hadn't wanted him to do. But that wasn't the case. She had wanted it. And that was the problem.

She wanted it. More than anything. And it scared her.

After separating from Jack she had constructed a wall around her. She had wanted to make sure that no one ever would be able to hurt her as badly as her ex husband had. And so this wall had gotten higher and thicker with every passing then Andy Flynn had come. He had smiled at her, hugged her, kissed her and the wall had tumbled down.

That was why she had freaked out, why she was still freaking out. She hadn't been prepared for this. She hadn't been prepared to feel so intensely for him. She had been completely overwhelmed by her feelings. So overwhelmed that she hadn't been able to protect her wall and before she had even noticed it he had torn it down. He had broken the wall and captured her heart. And now the damage was done and there was no going back. She was in love. She was in love with Andy Flynn. But instead of telling him the morning he had kissed her, she had pushed him away and made him feel like he had imposed himself on her.

And to make matters worse he had been really considerate about it. He had apologized and he had left the room – his own bedroom – to give her space.

Even at work he had been nothing but thoughtful. He hadn't touched her, he had made sure they weren't alone in a room together and he even had tried not to look at her too often. He had done everything in order not to make her feel uncomfortable. And it had made her fall for him even more. Just for being so considerate, for giving her privacy, for being a gentleman and for showing her so much respect.

But despite all that she couldn't act on it. She just didn't dare. At first she had thought her only reason for panicking was because she was afraid to get hurt again but it turned out that there was another reason: she was scared of losing Andy as a friend.

She couldn't imagine not being his friend. She couldn't imagine not going to him when she was feeling down. She couldn't imagine not being able to talk to him.

If they started a relationship and it failed then they couldn't go back to just being friends. It didn't work like that.

But now they could still go back. They could still be good friends. They just needed a little distance, a little break in order to figure out how to get rid of those funny feelings they had for each other.

And so she kept pushing him away.

* * *

Contrary to popular belief Sharon did not enjoy doing paper work. She didn't hate it either but it was one of the more tedious things about her job.

She was sitting behind her desk for hours already. Reading through files and reports and putting her signature wherever it was required.

She was surprised when Andy entered her office. Until now he had always made sure that they weren't alone in a room together - for her sake. He had wanted to give her space. But now - days after the kiss - he thought it was time to calm the waves, time to approach her again. He wanted them to go back to what they had before he had been stupid enough to kiss her.

"Is there anything I can do for you lieutenant?" It was weird not to just call him Andy but she figured it was better to address him by his rank. At least for now.

"I just got myself a coffee and i thought you might want one too", he put the mug on her desk.

"I feel more like tea", she said without evening looking up from the report she was reading.

"Oh... ok. I'll just leave it here anyway. In case you change your mind."

"I won't." She said and made a fluttering movement with her good hand to signal him to remove the mug.

Andy was clearly hurt by her rejecting manner. Yes, he had made a mistake but he had apologized for it, he had given her space and now he had tried to make a nice gesture. What else did she want him to do?

He looked at her for a moment considering whether he should ask her what she wanted him to do to make it up to her. But he decided against it. He turned around and left, shutting the door behind him louder than necessary or appropriate.

When her office door fell into the lock with a loud thud Sharon startled. She had the urge to run after him and lecture him about his unprofessional, childish behavior but then she realized that it was her who had started with this ridiculousness. It was her who needed the lecture.

She looked at the mug sitting on the right edge of her desk and sighed.

TBC...

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**Thanks for reading! :D The next chapter will be the last one but I'm already working on several new stories :)**


	6. Chapter 6

**I know. This took longer than forever. I apologize. But here it finally is: the last chapter.**

**HUGE thanks go to my friend and fellow writer lontanissima. She helped me so much with the entire story, especially with this last chapter. You should totally go and check out her Shandy stories. They are wonderful!**

**Happy Reading!**

* * *

Going back to just being friends did not work. Not at all. And it was her fault. She was well aware of that.

Her plan to push him away till all those funny feelings she had would get less intense turned out to be a terrible idea. All she had achieved with it was to hurt him. And now she felt ashamed.

She had thought about talking to him, about apologizing but so far she had always chickened out. It was very atypical for her to shy away from something but when it came to her love life she seemed to be a bigger coward than she'd like to admit.

That was also the reason why she was still sitting in her office instead of in her car, driving home. She had been about to leave when Andy had pressed the button to call the elevator. He was wearing his jacket, obviously on his way home as well. So she had turned around again and ran back into the safety of her office while murmuring something about forgetting her car keys.

They had been alone in the elevator together three weeks ago and the awkwardness had been absolute torture. Ever since then she had made sure that they wouldn't ever end up in this situation again. Even if it meant that she'd have to make a fool of herself by running away like some scared kid.

Sharon checked her phone for the time and decided that waiting for 10 minutes was long enough. By know he already should have left the parking garage. It was save to walk to her car without encountering him... or so she thought.

But when she stepped out of the elevator she saw him standing next to his car. Thankfully his back was facing her. With any luck she could quietly make her way over to her car, without making her presence known.

And she was about to do just that when she realized that something was wrong. Something was wrong with Andy. He wasn't just standing next to his car, he was leaning on it.

As she looked closer she could see that he clearly had trouble breathing. And that was precisely the moment that put everything into perspective. She forgot about the fact that she was currently avoiding him, she forgot about how scared she was to get close to him, she forgot about any and everything. The only thing on her mind right now was the man she cared for deeply was struggling to breath.

She felt a surge of panic as she rushed to his side.

"Andy?" She put her hand on his shoulder, her facial expression beyond concerned. "What is it?"

His hand went to his chest, he was unable to speak, he was too busy trying to breath.

"I'm calling an ambulance." Sharon said as she started to frantically search her purse for her phone.

"No", Andy barely was able to squeeze out the word.

"You might be having a heart attack!" Her voice was loud but shaky. She was scared out of her mind.

"... Just... hi... high... blood... pre... pressure", he blinked a few times, hoping the blurriness would go away.

"I don't care. You need to go to the hospital", Sharon started dialing but he clumsily pulled the phone out of her trembling hand.

"It's... nothing."

"Of course it is! You can barley breath!" Impatience was overcoming her.

"it's getting better." His breathing indeed seemed to be steadier again.

"Let me call the ambulance." Sharon removed her phone from his firm grip again.

"I just ... need to sit... down."

She helped him open the car door. He dropped down on the seat. His face was pale. It scared her.

He started fiddling with his tie, trying to unclench it. It suddenly felt far too tight around his neck. Sharon was faster than him though. With trembling hands she clasped his tie and loosened it. Then her hands went downwards and opened the first two buttons of his shirt, her fingers grazing the warm skin of his chest in the process. The contact made them both shiver.

"At least let me drive you to the hospital." Her voice was soft now but still full of worry. She removed her hand from his chest placed it on his cheek instead, looking him straight in the eye. "Let a doctor make sure that you are ok."

"It's not necessary... really. " He said as he starred back into her gorgeous green orbs. He had the urge to nuzzle his cheek into her palm but resisted it. He was scared it would freak her out. And to be honest, he was more worried about scaring her off again than he was about his health.

"Is there ever a time when you are not an obstinate idiot?" She withdrew her hand to start rummaging in her handbag once more before she retrieved a bottle of water from it. She opened the lid and held it to his lips. She helped him take a few sips.

"Not according to Provenza", the smirk was already back on his face but he still looked very weak and his voice was barley louder than a whisper.

"Did you take your medication?"

"I might have forgotten."

"Andy!"

"I was busy. Our last case was insane... and..." He stopped. Realizing that it would only make her feel guilty if he admitted that their current relationship - or more - the lack of a relationship had taken a toll on him. He missed her. Her friendship, spending time with her, talking to her, taking care of her.

"And?"

"I skipped taking the meds the last two days."

She sighed and shook her head in slight disbelieve. How could he be so irresponsible when it came to his own health? "We really should go and have you checked out."

"I'm fine. Really" He was trying his hardest to make his voice sound as normal as possible but it didn't convince Sharon. So he tried again. "Listen Sharon. The doctor is just going to tell me what I already know: My blood pressure is too high and I'm an idiot for not taking my meds."

Sharon sighed once more. "Can you get up?"

"I think so." He tried to stand but it was harder than expected. Everything was spinning.

Sharon immediately put an arm around him to prevent him from falling. Thank god her arm had recovered fully. A few weeks ago she wouldn't even have been able to help him in a situation like this. Not with her arm in a sling.

"You are coming home with me then" she said. It wasn't a question nor was it a suggestion.

Andy protested and told her she should just drop him off at home but she wouldn't hear any of it. Either he was going to see a doctor or he was coming home with her. Those were the two options he had. And since he refused to go to the hospital her apartment it was.

* * *

Sharon was as strict a caretaker as she was a boss. Not that he had expected anything else. After they entered her apartment she helped Andy to the couch and made him lie down. He wanted to sit but she wouldn't let him and he didn't protest. If she wanted something she would get it. From him anyway. Always.

She wrapped a blanket around his legs and put a glass of water next to him on the coffee table. She handed him the remote control before she told Rusty to go and fetch Andy's medication from his apartment. He had done it without complaining. Sharon was impressed. Her boy was growing up.

When Rusty got back Sharon was in the kitchen making soup. Rusty wasn't surprised. She always made soup when someone was sick. Didn't matter what they had, Sharon would make them soup. At first Rusty had thought it was a bit weird that she'd bring him a bowl of soup when he had sprained his ankle. Soup certainly wouldn't help his foot get better. But soon he had realized that the soup was not meant as a cure. It was a gesture. It was meant to be comforting. Now, when he was sick he was looking forward to that bowl of soup she'd - without a doubt - make for him.

Andy was rather surprised when Sharon handed him the bowl with the steaming liquid. He hadn't expected her to cook for him.

"You didn't have to do that." He said as she sat down on the couch next to him.

"I know."

"Then _why_ are you doing it?"

"You are my friend."

"Am I really?" He put the bowl down on the coffee table. "Because all my other friends don't immediately leave the room as soon as I enter it."

"I'm in a room with you now. Am I not?"

"Yes. Because you feel obliged to help me. You feel sorry for me."

"No. It's because you are a stubborn idiot who'd rather die of a heart attack than admit that he needs to see a doctor. And because i worry about you. And you know that."

"No, I don't know that! I don't know anything anymore! I thought I knew... But I obviously didn't."

"We shouldn't be talking about this right now."

"When should we talk about it then?! When you run off and lock yourself into your office so you don't have to share an elevator with me?!"

"Don't get upset." She placed her hand on his shoulder, hoping it would have a calming effect. "It's not good for your heart."

"Good for my heart..." He snorted. SHE was not good for his heart. She was slowly and painfully killing him. She was the problem, not his temper.

Sharon removed her hand again. He hadn't said anything and neither had he tried to shake her off but she was under the impression that her touch wasn't very welcome right now.

"Eat your soup", she said as she got up again and disappeared in the bathroom.

* * *

When Sharon reappeared ten minutes later Andy was putting on his shoes, getting ready to leave.

"What are you doing?" She knew it was a pointless question. It was quite obvious what he was doing.

"Leaving. I'm gonna need my keys."

"You are not driving!"

"I'm perfectly fine."

"A few hours ago you couldn't breath. I would not call that 'fine.' "

"I'm fine now." He held out his hand. "My keys please."

Sharon sighed. She looked at his hand and instead of placing the keys in his palm she took a step towards him and captured his hand with her slender fingers.

He looked at her surprised. What was going on? What was she up to?

"In the last few months you were there for me every time I felt down. You wouldn't let me be on my own. You took care of me. You let me talk and you listened. You even listened to all my worries about Rusty and you never once told me how irrational and ridiculous they were." Her voice was low and soft. It made him shiver.

"Let me take care of you now." She continued. "I know you are already feeling better and I know that you think I'm overreacting but if the roles were reversed and it had been me with the high blood pressure then you wouldn't let me out of your sight, no matter how many times I insisted that I was fine. "

He didn't answer and she knew she won. He'd never let her be on her own after almost fainting. He'd hover over her and be with her every second to assure that she was ok. He can't expect her to react any differently now that he was in this position. She might not feel the same way about him than he did about her but he understood now that she still cared a great deal about him. I turned out that he did not destroy their friendship with the kiss. It may have looked like it at first but today had proved that she was able to look past his mistake. Or at least that is what it seemed like to him. She had forgiven him. She had accepted his apology and she was ready to continue with their friendship. He couldn't be more relieved about it.

So he got rid of his shoes again. He only noticed now that Sharon was still holding onto him. Her fingers were clinging to his hand harder than necessary.

"Come on", she said quietly, tugging him along.

* * *

She had lead him into her bedroom. He was surprised but didn't let it show. She got him one of Ricky's t-shirts and sweat pants to change into and afterwards she made him lie down. In her bed.

He didn't protest. The heart episode had worn him out. He was tired.

"The couch would be fine too", he said. Not really trying to convince her to let him sleep in the living room, he just felt the need mention it.

"I'm not gonna let you sleep on the couch. You need to get some proper rest in a real bed." She covered him with the duvet and then got something - presumably her pajamas - from the closet. "I'll go and change. Don't do anything stupid in the meantime."

"I wouldn't dare to."

She smirked and disappeared in the bathroom before she returned again a few minutes later. She was wearing checked pajama bottoms and a fitting top. There was no trace of make up on her face and her hair was pulled back into a lose pony tail. She looked ridiculously beautiful. Andy had seen her in casual attire several few times already but somehow it still surprised him to see her in anything else but business clothes.

Sharon put her phone on the bedside table and slipped into bed. "Are you ok?" She asked as she settled onto her side.

"Fine. Just unusually tired."

"It's normal to be tired after an heart episode."

"I know."

"Did something like this ever happen before?"

"Not like this. And not since I'm taking the meds."

"Good." She said and put her hand on his chest. "Go to sleep now."

Sharon scooted closer and put her head on his chest. Her hand moved downwards and came to a rest on his stomach. She did it without hesitation, without giving it any thought. She just felt like being close to him. She was aware that it wasn't the best idea to cuddle up to him but the urge to be near him, the urge to feel him and absorb his warmth was stronger than any rational thought at this moment.

Her ear was pressed against the middle of his chest. She could hear his heart. The heart she had been so scared for today. It was beating at steady, regular pace. It calmed her down. She sighed contently.

"What are you doing?" breathed Andy. This confused him. She confused him. Sleeping together in a bed was already something he usually wouldn't do with someone who was just a friend but cuddling was _definitely _something he would_ not_ do with just a friend. What the hell was Sharon up to?

Her answer was muffled. "Listening to your heartbeat."

"Sharon... You are sending me mixed signals." Andy's voice was still very calm and quiet.

"I know." She murmured into his chest. "Do you want me to move over to my side?"

"No." His answered without hesitation. "It's fine... just confusing."

"Let's talk about it tomorrow. Alright?"

She felt him nod. "Alright."

"Wake me if you are not feeling well."

"I will." He probably wouldn't. Not if it wasn't anything life threatening. He didn't want to worry her.

Sharon propped herself up a little to look at him. Her brows raised, her gaze a little threatening.

"I will." He repeated once more. Meaning it this time. A small smile on his lips. This was a typical Sharon Raydor reaction. One he adored. Rusty always made fun of it but Andy was sure that the boy secretly appreciated her concern. Rusty liked to be taken care off. He liked it when Sharon made a fuss over him. He just wouldn't ever admit it.

"Good." Satisfied with his answer she put her head back on his chest.

Now that she had started with all the body contact he felt confident enough to put his arm around her. He was still confused about all this but he decided to put all his concerns aside for now and just enjoy it. Who knew if she'll ever let him hold her like this again?

He tried to stay awake as long as possible. He wanted to savor every minute, to enjoy every second but he was just too tired. The last thing he remembered before he fell asleep was her fingers gently combing through his hair.

* * *

When Andy woke up the next morning Sharon was still asleep. However, her cheek wasn't pressed against his chest anymore, it was on his shoulder now, her face nuzzled in the crock of his neck. Her breath was warm against his skin. He liked it.

His arm was still around her, holding her close. It was a bit stiff but he was not going to remove it. It felt good to hold her. It felt good to press her close to him. Their bodies fit together perfectly, like two puzzle pieces.

He buried his nose in the beautiful tangled mess that were her hair and closed his eyes. He didn't noticed that he had dozed off again until Sharon started moving.

"Hey." He whispered.

"Hi." Her morning voice was low and hoarse. It did unimaginable things to him. He had a really hard time not to roll her over, kiss her senseless and ravish her then and there. But that mistake he wasn't going to make twice.

"Are you feeling better?" She sat up and looked at him.

"Heart's fine." He said, already missing her warm body against him and her hair tickling his chin.

Sharon checked her phone on the nightstand. "We still got 20 minutes before the alarm goes off."

"Good. Should be enough time to talk." He'd prefer pulling her back into his arms and just enjoy the time until they had to get up but they really needed to talk. He needed to know what was going on. He needed to know why she suddenly wanted to be close to him again after avoiding him for weeks. And he needed to know it _now_. Not knowing was driving him crazy

Sharon sighed but nodded. "Yes, there should be." She was nervous about this. More nervous than she had been in a long time.

He looked at her expectantly, waiting for her to start. It took her a while till she finally did:

"I owe you an apology."

"Why?"

"My behavior in the last few weeks was unacceptable. I was unnecessarily mean to you and I let our personal differences interfere with our work relationship. I am very sorry, Andy. "

"I guess I deserved it."

"No you didn't." She clarified. "I know I made it seem like you blindsided me when you..." She stopped to swallow before she continued "... when you kissed me the other morning. But the thing is... you didn't. Not really. At least not in the way you think."

He looked at her confused. He had no clue what she meant.

She went on. "The kiss did surprise me, I haven't reckoned with it but that doesn't mean I didn't..." She broke off again. Telling him this was everything but easy. She hadn't talked openly about her feelings in ages and it seemed that with the time that had passed it had gotten even harder. "... it doesn't mean that I didn't enjoy it."

He needed a few moments to realize what she was saying. When it finally settled in a weird, warm feeling spread in his chest. His heart started beating faster but not in an uncomfortable or worrying way. "Oh." Was all he was able to breath out.

She took a deep breath and continued. "I would have slapped you the moment you touched me if I really hadn't wanted it."

He chuckled.

"When I realized what we were doing I got scared, terrified really. I haven't had feelings for anyone in such a long time... And the last time I did it didn't end so well..."

It all started to make sense to him. He wanted to hit himself for not realizing it earlier. Of course she was scared. He was scared too. But she had really good reason to be. Jack had broken her heart. Several times. She had every right to be scared. "So what changed now?" He wanted to know.

She cleared her throat, hoping it would somehow make it easier to say what she needed to say. "Yesterday, when I found you in the parking garage, all pale and barely breathing I realized that what I am really scared of is to not have you around." Her voice was really soft now and so was her expression. She reached for his hand, her touch light. "You sneaked into my life and became my best friend and I didn't even notice it until yesterday. "

"I'm good at sneaking." He grinned.

"You are."

"You are my best friend too." His voice completely clear and serious before it changed into a joking tone. "And the protagonist of all my sex fantasies."

She laughed. God, he loved it when she laughed. It was one of his most favorite things. The way she slightly threw her head back, the way the corners of her mouth shot upwards, the way her cheeks elevated themselves and made the few adorable wrinkles on her temples more prominent. He could watch her laugh for hours.

When she stopped she noticed that he was watching her. His gaze soft but piercing. "Are you ok?" She asked.

He just nodded and looked down at their joined hands, smiling. Their fingers intertwined. It was the first time in weeks that he felt completely comfortable and confident touching her. "I'm going to kiss you now." He said.

His eyes were staring into hers now. His gaze still so intense that the only answer she managed to give was a nod.

Andy's hand went to cup her cheek. Slowly he moved his head closer to hers. Once she could feel his warm breath on her face she closed her eyes and waited expectantly. When his lips finally met hers it was just for a short, soft peck. It already felt incredible but she wanted more. She needed more. But he still seemed to be a bit cautious. He was still scared to blindside her. He still wasn't sure that she wanted this as much as he did.

So she decided to make it clear for him once and for all. Her hand shot up to the back of his head and she gently pulled his face into hers. Her lips captured his eagerly. It only took him a moment to kiss her back.

Both his hands were on her cheeks now, his grip soft. His thumps tenderly brushing over her skin while his mouth moved against hers. She hummed contently as she their tongues met and she pressed herself even closer to him.

They both startled as suddenly the alarm went off. They broke apart. Both out of breath. Her lips and the skin immediately surrounding it were reddened. It gave him an odd feeling of satisfaction.

She switched off the alarm and smiled a shy, sheepish smile that he hadn't seen before. It was so adorable he wanted to kiss her again. But he didn't.

"I need to get ready." She said as her hand landed on his cheek, caressing it with her fingers. "I want you to take the day off. Rest and go and see a doctor."

"I'm gonna take my meds and I'll be fine, Sharon."

"It wasn't a suggestion, lieutenant" Her voice bossy but it was obvious that she was teasing him.

"Alright. How about I take the day off and see my doctor and in return you go out for dinner with me? tonight. restaurant of your choice."

"Well... I do like Italian food."

"The little Italian restaurant in Long Beach? A table with view on the ocean?"

She smiled. He knew her too well.

* * *

Sharon was quite impressed that Andy had managed to get a reservation for the very best table in the restaurant on such short notice. She wondered if he had flashed his badge to get it but she came to the conclusion that she didn't care. She was just glad to be there. With him.

After dinner they went for a walk. There was a gentle breeze blowing as they strolled along the shore. The soft light of the moon and the faint lights of the city in the distance illuminated their path.

Andy was carrying both their shoes, his free hand wrapped around hers, their fingers entwined.

They walked in silence for a while, the only noise the soft waves and the cries of the seagulls.

"I really missed you those last few weeks." He suddenly said.

Sharon stopped walking and turned to face him. Her hand went to cup his cheek. "I know. I missed you too. More than you think... I'm sorry for making us both miserable."

"Don't apologize. I didn't say that I missed you because I want you to apologize."

"I still feel guilty."

"There is no need to" he said and smiled to make sure she knew there really was nothing to feel guilty about.

"We could have had this weeks ago." Her arms went around his middle and she pressed herself into his warm body.

His hands let go of their shoes and went to her hips, his chin rested on her head. He loved how tiny she was without her heels on. "We have it now. And that's enough for me."

She sighed in his chest, snuggling even closer. This might be her new favorite place: In his arms with her cheek pressed to his chest. "We should probably head back."

"Or we could keep walking. It's not that late yet."

"Are you sure its not too tiring for you?"

He snorted. "I'm perfectly fine, Sharon. That's what the doctor said as well. Stop worrying. I took my medication, I'm ok."

"But you tell me the moment you feel your heart going all weird again, alright?"

"I will." He promised as he kissed the top of her head.

They started walking once more. It only took a few moments for their hands to find each other again. It was almost ridiculous how seamlessly her slender fingers fit in between his and how in synch their movements were. It seemed like they had done all of this a thousand times already. It felt familiar and comfortable but at the same time it was also new and exciting.

She almost couldn't believe she had been so scared of this. Scared of being with him. Scared of letting him into her heart. Scared of opening up and of giving herself to another human being. Her fear had almost ruined this. And she almost felt embarrassed about it. She fought criminals every day and made deals with murderers but what really freaked her out were her very own feelings. It made no sense but then again: when did life ever make sense? If it did she certainly wouldn't be here with a man who was the complete opposite of her, with a man who broke the rules while she stuck to each and every single one of them. It was good that life made no sense.

Sharon was surprised when Andy suddenly stopped walking once more. He looked at their hands, how they fit together perfectly and how her fingers were nestled between his, holding onto him. Then he pulled their joined hands up to his face and pressed a kiss into her soft, warm palm.

A warm flash went through her arm directly into her heart where it spread to her belly and left a fluttering, pleasant feeling.

"Thank you for taking care of me yesterday, even when I was a stubborn moron." He whispered.

She smiled at him. "Anytime."

**\- the end -**

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**Thanks for reading. Hope you liked it :) **


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